Tuesday, 14 December 2010

Francesca Williams is an Illustrator, Photographer, Film maker and a cake decorator. She got back to me with really good advise-

Hi Liz,

Thank you for your email, i'm glad you like my work. I haven't really been doing much prop based, costume or photography work for the past few years, but i'll try and answer your questions as best I can.

Which artists do you admire?Andy Warhol, John Waters, Vincent Gallo, Larry Clark,What materials do you use?For my illustration I just use pens and paper! For other work I have often used a variety of textiles from a supply I have been building up over many years or vintage fabric, remnants and trimmings.Who influences you?Its not just people who influence me, I am influenced and inspired by all different kind of things. I don't really look at the work of my peers or follow much contemporary art or illustration so I am influenced by my own inspirations. (theres a list at the about me section of my website)How long does it take to do your work/shoot?It completely depends on the project. Some work can be done in a few hours, others take months of planning and weeks to complete.If you get an artist block on your work, how do you overcome that?I stop trying to do whatever it is i'm trying to do, do something completely different. Go for a long walk at nighttime. do something else and come back to it.What would you advice someone who trying to get into the industry?I'm not sure I really consider myself part of an industry but my advise to any creative people is to try and never compare yourself to anybody else and create for your own sake.

I took a look at the files you attached, I think you are creating some really interesting images and the figures and subject matter seem really considered, I think it might to be good to try and work on the backgrounds of the images and experimenting with propmaking for the backgrounds and sets, perhaps also even 3 dimensional text (it could be any kind of materials or techniques) would be interesting to try too.

Monday, 13 December 2010

This artist from Finland also works with half human / half animal figures (Do you remember Year 1 hybrids?). She explains: "The characters in my most recent paintings are often hybrids between humans and animals. The animal heads work as masks when placed on a human body. Throughout history, everyday life has been linked to the spirit-world with the help of masks. I place masks, typical for contemporary popular culture as seen in the worlds of metal and goth, in the framework of today’s social rituals and role-playing."(source)Role play and taking on new persona's is an interesting notion to explore.

You have identified the importance of animal masks in your work as a way to disguise or create a new identity. A transformation occurs when a mask is put on. The wearer becomes a something new and the viewer wonders what they are looking at? Animal masks have been used in the theatre in plays such Equus by Peter Shaffer and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Ask what is the significance of these masks being used?Animal masks are also used in other cultures for ceremonial or ritual purposes, such as these Inuit animal masks, the people believe that the spirit of the animals would be presented to them so they wear these masks and have a dance or a festival for the spirits. A wolf, owl or polarbear masks would signify these animals qualities such as feirocity, wisdom, strength, cunningness, and speed. As well as looking at how mask are made and what they look like, really think about what they mean for your Journal.